This is a text from NHK easy news where the alcohol content of desinfectants is being discussed:
これより濃{こ}いと消毒{しょうどく}する力{ちから}が小{ちい}さくなるため、薄{うす}くして使{つか}うように言{い}っています。
I am wondering here about the literal translation of the と-Particle in これより濃{こ}いと消毒{しょうどく}する力{ちから}. Does the と-Particle in this case mean:
- WITH higher (alcohol) concentration than this (the desinfection efficacy will be smaller...), or
- IF the (alcohol) concentration is higer than this (the desinfection efficacy will be smaller...)
(So my question aims also a bit if this is how a proportionality relation, e.g. "with increasing speed the kinetic energy increases" can be expressed in Japanese)
Thanks a lot!